Gator drags child into water at Disney's Grand Floridian resort

[bashfulpixie]

Damn.  It's been a horrific few days for Orlando.  This just popped up on my news feed.  Apparently the child was dragged off the resort's beach and into the water about an hour and a half ago.  There's search and rescue in the area but they haven't been able to locate the child.

Gator drags child into water at Disney's Grand Floridian resort

[mallallory]

How horrid and entirely awful for their parents and family.  I can't imagine... I had goosebumps all over as I was reading that, and feel sick.             

[PennySycamore]

My daughter and son-in-law were just at WDW with their daughter last week.  How terrible that this child was dragged away by an alligator! 

[2manyKidzzz]

I saw recently one or possibly two accounts of an alligator somewhere in FLA, I think, which was spotted with a body in its mouth in a body of water.

But at Disney, don't they know, aren't they aware of this danger......it is horrible. So, there is no way to protect against this......clearly I am not from that part of the world. And will not be it would seem. 

[MatthewDuggar]

7 hours ago, 2manyKidzzz said:

I saw recently one or possibly two accounts of an alligator somewhere in FLA, I think, which was spotted with a body in its mouth in a body of water.

But at Disney, don't they know, aren't they aware of this danger......it is horrible. So, there is no way to protect against this......clearly I am not from that part of the world. And will not be it would seem. 

I did a short stint for Disney.  We were told they have an excellent animal control team and that they keep a watch on all the potential places that alligators might live or become present.  I guess it's not as excellent as they claim.

I've lived in FL for 12 years and it seems like there are alligator sightings and incidents nearly every week on the local news.  At least a few times a year, alligators stop rush-hour traffic on major highways.  I've never seen one personally, and the last place I'd expect to encounter one would be at Disney World!  So tragic and horrible!

[uber frau]

I'm not anywhere near Florida but I'm from somewhere where shark sightings have become almost commonplace.  Two ppl have died in the past fortnight.  More ppl in and around the water means more deaths and injuries and better news networks equals more publicity  every time some body spots something.  Sometimes there is a limit to what even the best animal control can do.

(Not that it makes the tragedy anything less awful.)

[bashfulpixie]

I've lived in Florida for most of my life.  If you spend any time whatsoever near fresh water, you'll see gators.  Heck, there are videos on YouTube of a gator in the water near Splash Mountain.  They can travel quicker than people think in the water, they can climb fences.  They're sneaky.  So while I believe Disney when they say they do everything they can with regards to relocating the gators, it's still Florida.  Do not go into the water at night.

As far as the story goes, they still haven't found the boy.  They've found multiple gators and put them down to check their stomachs but nothing has come of it yet.  I feel awful for the boy and his family.

[tropaka]

this is awful - and yes, the beaches are posted for no swimming.  The little boy was wading in about a foot of water when he was snatched.

 

[Terrie]

Horrific. I don't think I could live in Florida.

[hollyandivy]

38 minutes ago, tropaka said:

this is awful - and yes, the beaches are posted for no swimming.  The little boy was wading in about a foot of water when he was snatched.

 

But why do you let your child wade in a body of open water in Florida??????

[bashfulpixie]

Because you aren't from around here and don't realize the dangers of being in an open body of water, especially at night. My family reinforces that every time relatives come to visit. They live in a place where swimming in lakes and rivers is no big deal

[HarryPotterFan]

1 minute ago, bashfulpixie said:

Because you aren't from around here and don't realize the dangers of being in an open body of water, especially at night. My family reinforces that every time relatives come to visit. They live in a place where swimming in lakes and rivers is no big deal

Exactly. And being in a Disney Park gives you a sense of security. In general they control dangers so well and keep things looking pristine to give guests a break from reality. 

This is so tragic. They still haven't found the boy.  

http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/world/alligator-child-report-orlando-disney-1.3635778

[Eternalbluepearl]

My hubby and I are staying at this hotel in a few months. So tragic for this family. 

[RoseWilder]

15 minutes ago, bashfulpixie said:

Because you aren't from around here and don't realize the dangers of being in an open body of water, especially at night. My family reinforces that every time relatives come to visit. They live in a place where swimming in lakes and rivers is no big deal

Which is why Disney posts signs to not go in the water. I bet, after ignoring the warning signs, these parents will try and sue Disney for this when it was their fault for ignoring the signs. 

[snarkykitty]

17 minutes ago, bashfulpixie said:

Because you aren't from around here and don't realize the dangers of being in an open body of water, especially at night. My family reinforces that every time relatives come to visit. They live in a place where swimming in lakes and rivers is no big deal

There were signs posted at the spot where he was snatched, that read "NO SWIMMING". The parents set up themselves about 20-30 feet from the spot...their other young child was in a playpen of some sorts nearby. 

I am not trying to diminish the horror or the suffering for the little boy or his parents, but there are signs posted everywhere to not go into the water, and the boy was wading in about a foot of water. 

Toddlers can get into trouble/out of sight so quickly. You have to hawk them in strange places. I know that the parents will blame themselves. It was an accident. But a preventable one.    It's just so tragic all around. 

[Buzzard]

I feel bad that they're catching and killing "innocent" gators looking for his body.  I know that they need to recover it, but I wish there was a better way.

[Gimme a Free RV]

1 hour ago, Terrie said:

Horrific. I don't think I could live in Florida.

Florida is a wonderful place to live but it isn't for everyone.  There are dangers there just as there are in the Smokies (rattlesnakes, bears), and other beautiful places in the United States.  I'm not scolding you, @Terrie.  I'm just attesting to my great experience of having lived on Florida's Gulf Coast for a few years.  (The containment pond in back of our church had alligators and fire ants were prevalent in our backyard.)

What a horrible, horrible tragedy.  My heart goes out to these parents.

[mallallory]

4 hours ago, MatthewDuggar said:

I did a short stint for Disney.  We were told they have an excellent animal control team and that they keep a watch on all the potential places that alligators might live or become present.  I guess it's not as excellent as they claim.

I've lived in FL for 12 years and it seems like there are alligator sightings and incidents nearly every week on the local news.  At least a few times a year, alligators stop rush-hour traffic on major highways.  I've never seen one personally, and the last place I'd expect to encounter one would be at Disney World!  So tragic and horrible!

In that case, it seems like they're doing a good job if there are alligator incidents weekly on the news as compared to whenever was the last time there was an incident at Disney.  

[Terrie]

19 minutes ago, Gimme a Free RV said:

Florida is a wonderful place to live but it isn't for everyone.  There are dangers there just as there are in the Smokies (rattlesnakes, bears), and other beautiful places in the United States.  I'm not scolding you, @Terrie.  I'm just attesting to my great experience of having lived on Florida's Gulf Coast for a few years.  (The containment pond in back of our church had alligators and fire ants were prevalent in our backyard.)

It must have its pluses, since people do live there, but locally, I really only have to worry about being attacked by Candian geese and wild turkeys. Rather different level of threat.

[louisa05]

3 hours ago, bashfulpixie said:

Because you aren't from around here and don't realize the dangers of being in an open body of water, especially at night. My family reinforces that every time relatives come to visit. They live in a place where swimming in lakes and rivers is no big deal

Swimming in lakes and rivers is a normal summer activity here in Nebraska along with rafting, tubing, kayaking, boating, water skiing, etc... Unfortunately, it would be easy for a family from here to be pretty oblivious to the dangers of doing so in Florida. 

This is huge headlines here, of course, and some comments have made me want to scream and yell at my fellow Nebraskans. Basically, the ones that go something like this: "I thought this was a weird story, but when I saw the family was from Nebraska I was just devastated". 

Why are we so tribal? Why would this story not be devastating to read until you realize the family is from the same state as you? What is wrong with us? Why can't we get past such responses? 

[Maggie Mae]

What a horrible thing to happen. What a horrible vacation for that family. 

I also feel kind of bad for thinking about the poor gaters too. I mean, they just saw "food" and went for it. And they will be killed. But it shouldn't affect the population and they are horrible animals that I don't have a lot of sympathy for. I lived in Florida as a child and it was not my favorite place in the world. Fire ants made it hard to play in our yard, the heat & humidity sucked, and visiting as an adult it just is too flat, but I'd like to be able to swim outside most of the year. Oh, and we went to some "theme park" and had to leave early when someone lost an arm to a gater. I've had reoccurring nightmares about gaters ever since. 

Of course, people say the same thing about where I live now, but replace gater with bears or moose. :/ Also the weather is the opposite of "too hot." So to each their own, I suppose. 

[Fascinated]

With this publicity it may not be necessary, but I hope Disney changes the signs to include an alligator warning. A No Swimming sign is not enough. 

We have a grandson who is two and I'm trying, and failing, to grasp this horror. I simply cannot imagine the trauma this family will endure for the rest of their lives.  And the witnesses, too. Unbelievably tragic and sad. I can't stop thinking about this poor little boy and his family. 

[Grimalkin]

3 hours ago, snarkykitty said:

There were signs posted at the spot where he was snatched, that read "NO SWIMMING". The parents set up themselves about 20-30 feet from the spot...their other young child was in a playpen of some sorts nearby. 

I am not trying to diminish the horror or the suffering for the little boy or his parents, but there are signs posted everywhere to not go into the water, and the boy was wading in about a foot of water. 

Toddlers can get into trouble/out of sight so quickly. You have to hawk them in strange places. I know that the parents will blame themselves. It was an accident. But a preventable one.    It's just so tragic all around. 

      We have lakes and ponds around here that say 'no swimming' but it's understood wading is okay. People stand in the water and fish. I would feel safe from alligators  at a Disney resort myself even though I know what a problem alligators are in Florida since I spent six weeks every summer as a child in Florida. I could see myself walking an antsy toddler to the water and get thier feet wet. Only if it was clear though and I would be with them. I guess the signs would have to say stay out of the water.

 

         That said, I love the Gulf Coast of Florida, The Keys, The Everglades, and Miami. There is a little piece of my heart in Florida.

        

[EmCatlyn]

3 hours ago, snarkykitty said:

There were signs posted at the spot where he was snatched, that read "NO SWIMMING". The parents set up themselves about 20-30 feet from the spot...their other young child was in a playpen of some sorts nearby. 

I am not trying to diminish the horror or the suffering for the little boy or his parents, but there are signs posted everywhere to not go into the water, and the boy was wading in about a foot of water. 

Toddlers can get into trouble/out of sight so quickly. You have to hawk them in strange places. I know that the parents will blame themselves. It was an accident. But a preventable one.    It's just so tragic all around. 

"No swimming" does not mean to me the same as "no wading." I would not have allowed my child to wade in that water, but I am an honorary Floridian ( I have never lived there but have relatives who do;  I visit often and my husband was born and raised there.) 

Still, I agree that "Disney" may give a false sense of security.  They should have, "beware of alligators, don't go near the water" signs, not just "no swimming."

The parents may blame themselves, but they may also sue.  And I think they are justified, unless they were warned about gators and told that "no swimming" means "don't go in the water."

 

[RoseWilder]

18 minutes ago, EmCatlyn said:

"No swimming" does not mean to me the same as "no wading."

He was a foot deep in the water and he's two. That goes beyond wading to me. That seems like it's more in swimming territory.